More than 140 years ago; Mark Twain observed that the Civil War had "uprooted institutions that were centuries old; changed the politics of a people; transformed the social life of half the country; and wrought so profoundly upon the entire national character that the influence cannot be measured short of two or three generations." In fact; five generations have passed; and Americans are still trying to measure the influence of the immense fratricidal conflict that nearly tore the nation apart. In The War that Forged a Nation; Pulitzer Prize-winning historian James M. McPherson considers why the Civil War remains so deeply embedded in our national psyche and identity. The drama and tragedy of the war; from its scope and size--an estimated death toll of 750;000; far more than the rest of the country's wars combined--to the nearly mythical individuals involved--Abraham Lincoln; Robert E. Lee; Stonewall Jackson--help explain why the Civil War remains a topic of interest. But the legacy of the war extends far beyond historical interest or scholarly attention. Here; McPherson draws upon his work over the past fifty years to illuminate the war's continuing resonance across many dimensions of American life. Touching upon themes that include the war's causes and consequences; the naval war; slavery and its abolition; and Lincoln as commander in chief; McPherson ultimately proves the impossibility of understanding the issues of our own time unless we first understand their roots in the era of the Civil War. From racial inequality and conflict between the North and South to questions of state sovereignty or the role of government in social change--these issues; McPherson shows; are as salient and controversial today as they were in the 1860s. Thoughtful; provocative; and authoritative; The War that Forged a Nation looks anew at the reasons America's civil war has remained a subject of intense interest for the past century and a half; and affirms the enduring relevance of the conflict for America today.
#63952 in Books 2013-11-19Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.90 x 1.20 x 9.90l; #File Name: 0199334099240 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Loved the story of Mendoza and bare-knuckle boxing; but the academic nature of some of the text will alienate many readers.By Miroku NemethI am interested in bare-knuckle boxing; so I really bought the graphic novel for that reason--learning about a bare-knuckle boxer through the medium of a graphic novel. The narrative featured several bare-knuckle matches; primarily between Mendoza and Humphreys; but focused quite a bit on his identity as a Jew (very much a small minority at the time) in England and what this meant at the time. There are several sections to the book; and only two are in comic book form: one dealing with Mendoza's life; and another on the process the author went through to write the book. I frankly lost interest when I got to this section; and only just finished the book after putting it down for months. A great portion of the book is actually just prose; and reprints some of the primary source material for the fights (which actually get a bit repetitive) and also deals with historiography and AGAIN with the author's process of researching and developing the graphic novel. I have mixed feelings about this. As a teacher; I can kind of see its merit; but as a reader of graphic novels; I found it pedantic in the extreme; and don't really think most readers will be that interested in perhaps half or more of the book.I gave it a 4 because it dealt with bare-knuckle boxing; the treatment of Jews and the overall time period very well in the graphic novel itself; and that deserves recognition. I am an academic; a professor; etc.; so I understand trying to teach the research process and all; but it was really over the top; and it will probably turn most readers off. I think it's reasonable to think that most readers do not want to read about the author and his process of developing the book in a way that competes with the actual titular subject of the book. I do wish it actually had much more of a focus on bare-knuckle boxing; and there are many greats in bare-knuckle boxing whose stories would lend themselves very well to the graphic novel format.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. What a fun book!By Karen J. PragerFor people who love learning history the easy way; with pictures and lively story-line; this book is great fun. Many people do not know that there was a large clan of Jews named Mendoza in London for many hundreds of years (even when Jews were not supposed to be living in England); and that one of the originators of boxing for sport was Daniel Mendoza. If you love sports history; OR Jewish history; OR English history; OR just like an enjoyable read; I can recommend this book. Daniel Mendoza also happens to be my great grand uncle 3 or 4 times removed; which added to the fun of discovering this book.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and learned a lot from itBy Harry GlazerThis book worked equally well as a compelling story; told in graphic novel form; and as a thoughtful history lesson; using primary sources and a strong narrative to highlight the social realities of a particular era. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and learned a lot from it.
